Propelling and steering means for boats

ABSTRACT

A manually operated propelling and steering means for boats comprising, a rotatable hand operated member which when rotated will through gears rotate a flexible shaft, a propeller for propelling the boat, and including a tubular housing surrounding the flexible shaft which is rotated manually to position the propeller to steer the boat.

United States Patent wmm 1:. Lay 1810 N. Monitor Ave., Chicago, 111.60639 19,250

Mar. 13, 1970 Aug. 3, 1971 {72] Inventor [21] Appl .No.

[22] Filed [45] Patented [54] PROPELLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR BOATS 10Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 115/18 [51] Int. Cl B63h 21/26 [50] Field of Search 115/24[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,752,617 7/1956 Fowler etal. 115/24 X 3,010,421 11/1961 Perkins 115/24 Primary ExaminerAndrew H.Farrell Attorney-Max R. Kraus ABSTRACT: A manually operated propellingand steering means for boats comprising, a rotatable hand operatedmember which when rotated will through gears rotate a flexible shaft, apropeller for propelling the boat, and including a tubular housingsurrounding the flexible shaft which is rotated manually to position thepropeller to steer the boat.

PATENTEUAUE 3:971 3.598624 SHEET '2 0F 2 Inventor WILLARD E. LAY

BY v

ATTY.

PROPELLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR BOATS BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe object of this invention is to provide a manually operatedpropelling and steering means for a boat which is economical to produceand which is easy to operate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view of the device attached to the stern of a boat.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device.

FIG. 3 is'a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view with the cover plate removed taken on line 5-5ofFIG. 3, and I FIG. 6 is a schematic view and partly in sectionshowingthe steering mechanism.

The device generally indicated at 9, as exemplified in the drawings,comprises a housing 10 made preferably of aluminum, having an inclinedtop portion 12 which has an enlarged opening 13 adapted to be closed byan oval-shaped plate or cover 14 removably fastened thereto by suitablefastening means. The plate or cover 14 is removable topermit access tothe interior of the housing. The housing has a rearwardly extendinghollow stub 16 which receives a rotatable shaft 18.

F ixedly secured as at 19 to the outer end of the shaft 18 is a crankarm 20 on which is mounted a handle 21. The opposite end of the shaft isenlarged as at 22 and fixedly secured to said opposite end of the shaftis a large bevel gear 24 which extends vertically and which meshes witha rotatable bevel pinion 26 having a collar 27 which in turn issupported on a supporting, block 28 which is supported in the housing10. A rigid vertical shaft 30 is fixedly secured as at 32 to the collar27 of the pinion 26 and said shaft extends through a bore 34 in theyblock 28.

4 The lower end of the rotatable shaft 30 is enlarged to form acup-shaped end 33 to which is fixedly secured the end of a flexibleshaft 34, as best seen in FIG. 6, so that rotation of the shaft 30 willcorrespondingly rotate the flexible shaft 34. A bearing 36 surrounds thecup-shaped end 33 of the rotatable shaft 30. The bearing 36 has an upperflange 37 which is received in an annular recess in the bottom of block28; Sur-' rounding the flexible shaft 34 is a tubular housing 40 whichis spaced from the flexible shaft 34. The lower end of the cupshaped end33 is spaced as at 41 from the top of the tubular housing 40.

A clamping member 42 surrounds the upper portion of the" tubular housingand is clamped to said housing to rotate said" housing for steeringpurposes. The clamping member is bent at its opposite ends to provideextensions 44 and 46 extending outwardly thereof which are fastened by afastening element 48. Said extensions are spaced from each other and aretightened or brought together by the fastening element 48. Extension 44has a hooked end 44' and extension 46'has a hooked end 46 to which areanchored the cables, presently to be described. When the clamping memberis turned by the ca-' bles it will turn the housing 40 with it. Theturning of the tubular housing 40 will position the propeller forsteering.

A bearing 50 having a flange 51 is secured to said housing below and inspaced relation to said clamp. The flange 51 rides in an annular recessin a supporting plate 52 secured to the main housing 10.

The lower end of the tubular housing 40 is arcuately shaped as at 40 sothat the end of the tubular housing is substantially at right angles tothe vertical axis of the tubular housing. The flexible shaft 34 whichextends inside the tubular housing 40 follows the curvature of thetubular housing and has a propeller blade 53 fixedly connected tothelower end'of said flexible shaft.

LII

STEERING MECHANISM The steering mechanism will now be described.

A steering member, generally of an inverted T-configuration, andgenerally indicated. at 54, comprises a central body portion 55 having acentral U-shaped recess 56 with opposite laterally extending sides 58. Ahandle 59 extends upwardly of the body portion 55! The steering memberis mounted on the stub 16 of the housing, with the U-shaped recess 56embracing the stub 16. A strip 60 made of a spring metal material issecured by fasteners 61 to the sides 58 to span the mouth of theU-shaped recess 56 and to engage the stub 16 to apply a pressure againstthe stub and provide a tautness between the steering member and thestub. A suitable washer 62 is positioned in the groove 64 in. the stubto prevent lateral shifting of the steering member on said stub. Theopposite ends of the metal strip 60 are shaped to form hook ends 66 towhich the ends of the cables are-secured.

A pair of cables 68 and 70 are attached to the hook ends 66 of themember 58. A pair of rollers or pulleys 72 and 73 are freely rotatableand spacedly-mounted on a rod 74 which is supported on the housing inan-opening 76 thereof. Cable 68 is connected to one side of the steeringmember 54 and extends downwardly and inwardly at an inclined angle andaround the roller or pulley 72,"with its end connected to the hook 46'of the clamp extension46 (FIG. 6). The other cable 70 is connected tothe other side of the steering member 54 and also extends downwardly andinwardly at an inclined angle and around the other roller or pulley 73,with its end connected to the hook 44 of the clamp extension 44.

Pivoting the steering member 54 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, willmove the cable 70 upwardly and cause the clamp 42 to rotate-clockwise(FIG. 6) to in-turnrotate with it the tubular housing 40 in the samedirection and position the propeller blade at an angle to the Ieft'ofcenter to steer the boat to the left. Pivoting the steering member 54 tothe right, as viewed in FIG. 2, will elevate the cable 68 and cause itto rotate the clamp 42 counterclockwise and correspondingly rotate withit the tubular housing 40 and position the propeller at an angle to theright of center tosteer the boat to the right.

To propel the boat the crank arm 20 is rotated thereby rotating bevelgear 24 and bevel pinion 26 and shaft 30 with flexible shaft 34, therebyrotating the propeller blade 53 to propel the boat. Rotating. the crankarm 20 in the reverse direction will reversethe'rotation of thepropeller to reverse the direction of the boat.

The housing has an opening 80 adjacent the clamp 42 and which is closedbya cover plate81. The main housing 10 is provided with a pair of spacedrearwardly extending arms 82 to which are pivotally secured, as at 84, aU-shaped clamp bracket 86 having clamping screws 87 to fasten the clampto the stern wall 88 of the boat. The unit may then be pivoted withrespect to theboat to lift the propeller clear of the water.

What I claim is:

l. A manually operated propelling and steering device for boatscomprising in combination, a housing, gear means, a handle for manuallyrotating said gear means, a tubular housing, a flexible shaft rotatablysupported in said tubular housing and connected to said gear means and apropeller blade mounted to said flexible shaft which when rotatedrotates said propeller blade, a steering mechanism comprising a steeringmember, a pair of cables connected to said. steering member and to saidtubular housing to rotate said tubular housing for positioning thepropeller blade to steer said boat.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the cables are connectedto a member which is secured to said tubular housing for rotating saidtubular housing.v

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the propeller blade ispositioned parallel to the vertical axis of the housing.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2 in which the cables pass aroundpulleys prior to their connection to said member which is secured tosaid tubular housing.

8. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which a clamping member isconnected to said tubular housing and in which the cables are secured tothe clamping member.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which a rigid shaft isoperated by said gear means and said rigid shaft is connected to saidflexible shaft to operate said flexible shaft.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9 in which the cables are securedto a clamping member which rotates the tubular hous-

1. A manually operated propelling and steering device for boatscomprising in combination, a housing, gear means, a handle for manuallyrotating said gear means, a tubular housing, a flexible shaft rotatablysupported in said tubular housing and connected to said gear means and apropeller blade mounted to said flexible shaft which when rotatedrotates said propeller blade, a steering mechanism comprising a steeringmember, a pair of cables connected to said steering member and to saidtubular houSing to rotate said tubular housing for positioning thepropeller blade to steer said boat.
 2. A structure as set forth in claim1 in which the cables are connected to a member which is secured to saidtubular housing for rotating said tubular housing.
 3. A structure as setforth in claim 1 in which the propeller blade is positioned parallel tothe vertical axis of the housing.
 4. A structure as set forth in claim 2in which the cables pass around pulleys prior to their connection tosaid member which is secured to said tubular housing.
 5. A structure asset forth in claim 1 in which the steering member has a central openingand is pivotally supported on an extension of said housing.
 6. Astructure as set forth in claim 5 in which a strip is secured to saidsteering member and bridges said opening to apply pressure on saidextension.
 7. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which said steeringmember is of a generally inverted T-shape configuration and has acentral opening for pivotally supporting said steering member on anextension extending rearwardly of said housing.
 8. A structure as setforth in claim 1 in which a clamping member is connected to said tubularhousing and in which the cables are secured to the clamping member.
 9. Astructure as set forth in claim 1 in which a rigid shaft is operated bysaid gear means and said rigid shaft is connected to said flexible shaftto operate said flexible shaft.
 10. A structure as set forth in claim 9in which the cables are secured to a clamping member which rotates thetubular housing.